Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Call the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole at (404) 656-5651 – the Board is counting calls, so let’s make it a million! – and look below for More ways you can help stop the execution of Troy Davis, now set for Wednesday, Sept. 21

by Kimberly Davis

In this family photo taken in 2004, Troy is in front with his mother, Virginia Davis; in the center is Troy’s nephew, De’Jaun Correia, who is especially close to his Uncle Troy; and in back are Troy’s sisters, Ebony and Kimberly Davis and Martina Correia, who has been battling breast cancer while campaigning for her brother throughout his ordeal and is now in the hospital, too weak to physically participate in the protests.

I have a lifetime’s worth of reasons for wanting to save my brother Troy.

When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 14, Troy left high school, signed up for night classes and started working so that he could take me to physical therapy and help my mother out financially.

It was my brother’s help and reassurance through my long struggle that led me to get out of my wheelchair. He is my hero.

But as you know, the state of Georgia has set an execution date for Troy on Sept. 21, based on supposed evidence against him that does not exist.

But we believe that with God’s help, we will prevail.

Will you help us to continue to fight to save his life? I need you to reach out to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole one last time. Watch this video message I recorded for the NAACP, and follow the instructions to send your letter:

Last Thursday, Troy called to tell me he had just heard about the 660,000 petitions delivered to the Board of Pardons and Parole in his name. He was deeply moved. He told me he knew that had supporters around the world, but that he had no idea that the support was that widespread.

My family is so very appreciative of the support from NAACPers like you, but the fight is not over. We cannot let up now.

Twenty years ago, Troy’s conviction was based entirely on circumstantial evidence and witness testimony. In the past two decades, seven of the nine witnesses in his case have recanted their testimony or changed their stories.

There was never a shred of physical evidence or DNA connecting Troy to the crime. No murder weapon has ever been found. In fact, one of the jurors recently stated that if she knew then what she knows now about the case, she would never have sentenced Troy to death.

I know that my love for my brother is not reason enough to take him off death row. It is not reason enough to stay his execution order.

Brother and sister, Troy and Kim Davis

But there is simply no evidence to suggest that Troy committed the crime. That’s why I am asking for help from NAACP members. You have come through for us before, and we need your help now more than ever.

This Monday, Sept. 19, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles will meet to decide Troy’s fate. It is Troy’s last chance.

Please watch my video message to the NAACP, then tell the board to stay Troy’s execution order and grant him clemency, because there is simply too much doubt.

Hundreds of thousands of people have already spoken out in the name of justice for Troy. On behalf of my family, I’m asking you to please add your voice today, and help us save my brother’s life.

The NAACP, which issued this statement, and its national president, Ben Jealous, has been a leader in the campaign to stop the execution of Troy Davis, scheduled for this Wednesday, Sept. 21. Learn more at www.naacp.org.

The execution of Troy Davis: A mother’s story

by Martina Davis Correia as told to Jen Marlowe and Monifa Bandele

My son was six weeks old when I first brought him to meet his uncle, Troy Davis. You would have thought I gave Troy a gold bar. He was scared to hold my tiny baby. I literally had to just put De’Jaun in his arms and walk away. And he was like, “But he’s so little. Come get him, get him, get him.” I said, “No, you get him. You hold him.” It was such a magical moment, because it was like I was giving my brother this gift.

Mother and son, Martina and De’Jaun Correia

As a young child, De’Jaun didn’t understand that my brother, his uncle was incarcerated, much less slated for death. When the family was getting ready to leave after a visit, he’d say, “Come on, Troy, let’s go, let’s go!” But he couldn’t go with us, and my mom would say, “He’s in school. He can’t come. One day, he’ll come home with us.”

As De’Jaun grew older, I explained to him that his uncle was in prison. But I had not yet told him that Georgia planned to kill him. He confided in his uncle more than anyone else. When De’Jaun was 12 years old, it became clear to me that my son understood far more than I had realized.

Our dog, Egypt, had gotten out of the yard and had been hit by a car. We immediately brought Egypt to a vet who told us that the dog’s leg was broken in three places and would need extensive surgery to be repaired. If Egypt did not have the surgery, she would have to be put to sleep. The cost of the surgery was upwards of $10,000.

As I drove De’Jaun home, I wondered how in the world I would come up with $10,000. Putting Egypt down might be the only realistic possibility.

In the silence of the ride, De’Jaun turned to me and said, “Mom, are you going put my dog to sleep like they’re trying to put my Uncle Troy to sleep?”

I had to swallow this giant lump in my throat to hold back the tears. I didn’t know that he related the two things. That he knew they were trying to kill his Uncle Troy. And he knew about which method that they would use to kill him. At that point, I decided that if I had to pawn my car, I wasn’t going to be able to put our dog to sleep.

In addition to dealing with his uncle facing execution, carrying a full load of advanced placement classes in his high-school’s International Baccalaureate program, my son lives with the stress of me being critically ill. I have been battling stage-four breast cancer since De’Jaun was 6 years old. My original diagnosis was six months or less. That was over 10 years ago.

My brother, Troy Davis, is on death row for the 1989 tragic murder of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail. On Aug. 19, MacPhail was gunned down while rushing to the rescue of a homeless man being pistol-whipped in the parking lot of a Greyhound bus station. The day after the murder, a man named Sylvester “Red” Coles told the police that Troy was the shooter. Troy, then 19 years old, was arrested and eventually convicted in 1991, primarily on the basis of eyewitness testimony.

There is no physical evidence linking Troy to the crime. The murder weapon was never recovered. Yet he was sentenced to death. He has been on death row for 20 years, despite the fact that the case against him has completely unraveled. In fact, seven of the nine non-police witnesses later recanted or changed their testimonies, many stating that police coercion and intimidation led to their initial implication of my brother. Several new witnesses have come forward and implicated Sylvester Coles as the shooter.

This is Troy’s fourth time facing execution. De’Jaun remembers the first execution date vividly. It was July 17, 2007. He was 13 years old. We went to go see Troy, and Troy wasn’t really worrying about himself. He was mostly worried about his family — about us. I was looking at my mother. She was praying, praying, praying. It was a lot of people constantly praying, constantly praying.

Troy gave each family member a duty. What did he task his young nephew? He told him, “Just continue to do good in school, do what’s right, pick the right friends, watch over the family, and just respect the family. Respect your mom, your grandmother, and your aunties. Do what you love and have a good profession.” The execution was stayed within 24 hours of being carried out. The next year, Troy came within 90 minutes of being executed.

De’Jaun Correia is counting on all of us to use the power of the people to free his Uncle Troy.

My son is wise beyond his years. He’ll say, “My uncle is not the only one going through this type of pain … a lot of people really want someone to hear their case but they don’t have the power and resources.” He knows that over 130 death row inmates have been exonerated, found innocent since 1973, demonstrating just how many innocent people are convicted and sentenced to death.

On March 28, 2011, the Supreme Court denied Troy’s final appeal, clearing the way for the state of Georgia to set a fourth execution date. Two weeks later, our mother passed away from “natural causes.” De’Jaun was the one who found her. She had just received a clean bill of health from her doctor the day before her death. I don’t think she could take another execution date. I believe she died of a broken heart.

Over the years support has grown. Amnesty International, NAACP, the ACLU, ColorOfChange.org, Bishop Desmond Tutu, President Jimmy Carter and many more have stood up for Troy.

There is #toomuchdoubt in my brother’s case: There’s no physical evidence; seven out of nine witnesses have recanted or changed their testimony; there’s evidence that suggests there may be another shooter. Click here for more details.

But still, last week, the state of Georgia decided to issue an execution date – Sept. 21.

We are turning up the truth, staying hopeful and vigilantly praying that Troy’s life won’t be ended on Sept. 21.

Last week, the state of Georgia decided to issue an execution date – Sept. 21. We are turning up the truth, staying hopeful and vigilantly praying that Troy’s life won’t be ended on Sept. 21.

Our supporters have launched a number of campaigns directing people to the many ways they can support Troy. Please join them for Troy, for me and for my son.

This story first appeared on MomsRising.org, where moms and people who love them go to change our world.

More ways you can help stop the execution of Troy Davis

Bombard the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole and Gov. Deal with calls, faxes and emails TODAY

The growing range of scholars, world leaders and prominent figures who are also demanding justice – including former President Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, John Legend, R.E.M., Russell Simmons, Mia Farrow, Indigo Girls, a former governor of Texas and a former member of Congress from Georgia – is simply awe-inspiring.

In not much more than a week, more than 660,000 people signed petitions to stop the execution of Troy Davis, and more are still signing them. Call the Board of Pardons and Parole at (404) 656-5651 to tell them to stop the execution and grant clemency to Troy Davis. - Photo: Michael Schiffman

The outpouring of support you’ve shown for Troy Davis so far has been phenomenal – more than 660,000 of you have signed the petition for clemency and nearly 500 events have popped up in small towns and big cities alike all over the United States. Supporters from the U.K., France, Denmark, Brazil, Hong Kong, Australia and other countries have also joined in to lend their voices.

Find more ways to help stop the execution of Troy Davis and learn more about his case

Write to Troy

Watch these videos to learn vitally important information about Troy’s case

This is the fourth time the state of Georgia has set a date to murder Troy Davis. The power of the people saved him the first three times. We can do it again. And this time, we can convince the Board of Pardons and Parole to grant him clemency, FREE TROY DAVIS and return him to the loving arms of his family!

Break the Chains.info

is a news and discussion forum for supporters of political prisoners, prisoners of war, politicized social prisoners, and victims of police and state intimidation.

This blog is organized and updated autonomously of the disbanded Break the Chains Prisoner Support Network formerly based in Eugene, Oregon. While this online project shares several of the same concerns as the old Break the Chains collective, no formal organization exists behind the current web presence.

"I will never surrender my pride and dignity nor allow the system to 'cut my tongue' and I will always, without fear, speak out against these war crimes and crimes against humanity, no matter if I spend the rest of my life in a prison cage, and draw my last breath of air laying down in this steel bed surrounded by razor-wire fences and cages, and its prison policies that are designed to destroy one's humanity…."